Money Madness Book

This guide to basic economics will make readers think about the purpose, not just the value, of money.

What would we do without money? Long ago, people traded rocks or sheep for the items they wanted; but rocks are heavy and sheep run away, so today we have money.

Children's Literature

Former math teacher David Adler's new book takes children from the time "before money" and asks them to imagine a world without it. Throughout this brightly colored book, with its money-green backgrounds on nearly every page and paper-cut collage illustrations of a smiling Uncle Sam and others, the history of money as we know it is depicted . Trading, bartering, the use of animals as money, the uses of feathers, rocks, metals, paper money, and even digital money are described and the value and usefulness of each is debated. Foreign currencies are elaborately displayed on a two-page spread. Even basic economics is covered in the final pages with an explanation of the changing value of money when prices rise and fall. Adler states that with money you can buy things you want and things you need. Money Madness is a book parents and teachers can use to open discussions about money, in general, and needs vs. wants. Reviewer: Debra Lampert-Rudman